Well, that went quite well. We got everything I had scheduled done and with minimal fuss and nonsense. The only thing is that Jake hasn't done his reading for today, but he has worked really hard and had a hard passage from Huck' Finn to read in his GP English. It took him a while to make much sense of it. I think maybe another time I need to try reading it out to him first as some of the texts (like this one) are written in a quite difficult-to-read way. So I think I will excuse him for today J Best bit about it is that at the end of the day, he has done all his work, an hours 'homework' (i.e. - there's a lot to cover and you're going to have to work an extra hour to the others to fit it all in) and just said to me "I want to do more, but then I don't coz my brain is fuzzed" - fair enough - give yourself a break on your first day mate! Aside from English he made a start on Conquer Maths today and got 100% on the paper he did (addition of decimals), so although it took a little more time than I had allotted him, he stayed back while we did the playgroup pick-up, completed it and did very well. I think it encouraged him somewhat J.
Els just kept asking to do more and more and more. I kept her hoping between activities (according to her shortish attention span) and she was happy and busy. The only time she complained a little was after lunch when she had absorbed herself in a dress-up paper-doll game, but she had been playing solidly at it for an hour so I didn't feel too guilty, especially as she was going to do Headsprout which she loves. She did that and then said she wanted to do it again (bless). Then she spent about 40 minutes on Ed'City (mainly maths I think). Other than computer time, E started the day by filling in her sheet from Sunday School then she did some number work - and I think she does now does recognise and understand the numbers 1 - 4 at least, so that's a start! After that was playgroup run to collect C, and on the way home we collected some nice leaves for E to make a leaf-print book with for her ABC lapbook (letter L). Once that was made she did some Science (Child's Play Science, from Singapore) - lots of colouring and circling, nothing deep or heavy, but today she learnt what happens to food after you swallow it: "So it goes down to my tummy, then the wiggly bits and then comes out as poo!" - good start I'd say. She couldn't quite get a grasp of the word 'intestine', but 'wiggly bit' at least draws the picture in her mind for her to link the word to at a later date J. I wonder what conversation might come up at the tea table! - Apparently she has just told Paul what she learnt today - in exactly those words I just quoted and pointing to herself, but she also told him that "the bendy bit is called the stomache." She remembered that word - great! Not a bad start at all J I don't think she feels she has worked too hard today either, because when she was done she asked to play on Poissonrouge - which is more learning in my book and playing in hers, so that was fine by me J.
The girls & JI worked generally well and achieved everything they aimed to do today. We had experiments with light, water and energy all going on at one point. P is doing water, JI energy (looking up kj on food packets), and JA was doing light conduction. A was learning about fungi and had to go and find some pictures on the internet of micro-organisms. One of those she printed was a picture of e-coli (more poo!!) - lol.
I managed to sign C up for a couple of extra sessions at playgroup too, so he will be there 3 mornings and an afternoon now, and Fridays he'll be home with us all. I hope it's not too much for him, but I think he needs the stimulation that playgroup gives - and the paint!! He is always asking to do painting - bless him. Thankfully the afternoon session doesn't start for a couple of weeks though, so he will get a gentle slide into the increased hours.
So, all-in-all a pretty successful day (albeit a bit full-on and exhausting) J. Let's hope it continues this way. When JA was asked by Paul if he'd had a good day he said - "Yeah, good. So far good start." (meaning 'so far, so good,' but he got a bit muddled)!
Tonight we have had a staggered tea because P had to go and collect someone from the station for a friend just about the time tea was cooked, so most of us have finished, but Paul, C & N are just eating behind me now. E is trying to feed N - so cute, but it's not an easy job! N is a little bit into trying to feed himself atm and resistant to being fed, but he is so messy! E is giving an exuberant running commentary of the digestive processes (lol)! It's so funny when kids first grasp what happens to our food and drink, but it does become a bit of an obsession for a while I find J.
Girls had swimming tonight. A has gone up to level 5 now (at last). She also passed her ballet exam (B) and has gone up into the Grade 1 class - seems too grown up to hear my little girl is using a Barr and dancing between four positions. I am so pleased with her J.
That'll do for tonight as JA wants the laptop back for playtime after his bath.
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